Healthy Athletes is a Special Olympics program that provides free health examinations in a fun, welcoming environment that removes the anxiety and trepidation people with intellectual disabilities often experience when faced with a visit to a medical professional. The Healthy Athletes screening is open to all Special Olympics athletes.

FUNfitness is a physical therapy event that provides athletes the opportunity to be examined for flexibility of hamstring, calf, shoulder rotator and hip flexor muscles. During these screenings, physical therapists, related professionals and students offer athletes expert guidance and exercises recommendations to prevent and reduce the risk of injury, and to improve the athletes’ optimal function in sports training and competition.

Healthy Hearing is changing lives in communities across the globe by providing free hearing screenings and other medical services, including ear wax removal, swim molds, hearing aid maintenance and minor repairs for people with intellectual disabilities.

Strong Minds is an interactive learning activity focused on developing adaptive coping skills. Competition provides a natural opportunity to develop active strategies for maintaining emotional wellness under stress, such as: thinking positive thoughts, releasing stress and connecting with others. Athletes learn about and try a few different active coping strategies as they move through the stations. Before exiting, athletes identify the strategies they like best and volunteers provide them with visual reminders to use these tools in competition and in daily life.

We Need Volunteers!

SOWA is seeking clinical, public health professionals, wellness professionals, podiatrists, foot care specialists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, students and general volunteers to assist in FREE screenings and education stations. Register here!

Please contact Della at dnorton@sowa.org with any questions.